Putin sees no reason not to sign anti-Magnitsky bill

Dec 27 2012

RBTH

Interfax

President Vladimir Putin has said that he will sign the "anti-Magnitsky" bill as well as a decree increasing support for orphans.

"I intend to sign the law you have just mentioned as well as a presidential decree changing the procedure of helping orphaned children, children left without parental care, and especially children who are in a disadvantageous situation due to their health problems," Putin told the State Council on Thursday.

Putin has said he sees no reasons not to sign into law the bill which was passed by the State Duma and the Federation Council to retaliate for the U.S.' Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012.

"I so far see no reasons why I should not sign it, although I should look at the final version and weigh everything again," he added.

As for the bill's provision that bans the adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens, Putin said this was prompted, inter alia, by some steps by the U.S. authorities, which "deny any access to the adopted children, behave outrageously arrogantly," and also make decisions that Russia sees as "legally untenable."

The Russian bill retaliating against the U.S. Magnitsky Act has been
forwarded by the Federation Council, the upper chamber of parliament, to
the presidential administration today.

Meanwhile, the Russian commissioner for children's rights, Pavel Astakhov, has forwarded a report to the Kremlin justifying the legality of a ban on adoptions of Russian children by foreign citizens.

"I have sent a report to the Russian president justifying the legality of a ban on adoptions of our children by foreigners, bearing in mind Russia's obligations in accordance with international law," Astakhov said on his Twitter page.